Author's Note: {AU} one-shot written for sanditoncreative '12 Days of Sanditon' 2019 Tumblr challenge.

Prompt: 'Sleigh'.

Un, Deux, Troix

I keep my window open
I keep it open wide
So keep me keep it open
Oh, keep me on your mind...

I pinch my cheeks until they hurt, counting to three, before letting go with a flourish of the fingers, eying my reflection with trepidation. I wanted a brilliant colour, not a hectic air, my face looking like it has just been given a good slapping.

"You look like you're coming down with consumption," my friend Elizabeth remarks wryly as she comes into the drawing room, the sound of her voice making me whirl around.

"I am merely trying to add colour to my complexion," I pretend to pout, dramatically tossing my ringlets back.

"I thought Sidney Parker was the cure all for your complexion."

"Well, at least my face doesn't turn beetroot at the mere sight of Sidney Parker."

"Excuse me, you blush enough for the both of us."

"Girls, girls," Elizabeth's mother exclaims as she rushes into the room, hands clasped to her bosom, "you will never guess!"

"Guess what, Mother dear?" Elizabeth asks, rolling her eyes as I try to look politely interested. Ever since the first hour of my stay, Elizabeth's mother had made at least three dramatic entrances a day, if not more.

"Mr. Sidney Parker is on our doorstep," Elizabeth's mother says in hushed tones, only for the three of us to start violently as Sidney Parker suddenly steps into the drawing room, followed by Elizabeth's father.

"Ladies," Sidney says curtly, sweeping an elegant bow, his top hat tucked under his arm.

The three of us hurriedly curtsey, Elizabeth nearly losing her balance as she straightens up, and I quickly grab her arm, hauling her upright. Her face burns, and I can feel my own cheeks flush hotly, Sidney raising an ironic eyebrow at us both, Elizabeth's father frowning beside him at our indecorous conduct.

"I'm sorry to trespass upon your evening," Sidney then says loftily, "but I came to ask if you would all deign to join me and my guests for a sleigh-ride. It is rather impromptu but some of my party couldn't honour the invitation and our company sadly feels the lack."

"We would absolutely adore it!" Elizabeth's mother cries, all but jumping down on the spot. "What an enchanting idea!"

"Excellent," Sidney says abruptly, before turning to Elizabeth's father. "We shall reconvene outside, then, sir, fifteen minutes, I should say?" he said, showing a surprising deference to the older man.

"Yes, it should give ample time for the ladies to titivate," Elizabeth's father says dryly, before leaving the room, followed by Sidney, who gives the three of us another elegant bow. He thankfully doesn't linger to see the clumsy curtseys we give in return, me and Elizabeth collapsing against each other in fits of hysterical giggles.

"How unexpected," Elizabeth's mother says almost dazedly, "but most undoubtedly exciting!" With that, she rushes out of the room again, leaving an awkward silence in her wake, cutting our merriment short.

Elizabeth stares at me, blue eyes wide. "Imagine, Sidney Parker and a sleigh-ride," she says, sounding almost scared. "And all his rakehell friends too."

"It's all rather improper," I muse, pulling on a curl.

"Not with Mama and Papa there," Elizabeth says defensively. "And anyways his papa knew Father so it's not as if we're going off with a complete stranger."

"But still, Sidney Parker and a sleigh-ride," I repeat, and the two of us suddenly burst into hysterical giggles again before jumping up and down, clutching each other's arms.

"Alright, alright," Elizabeth says, letting go of me, "I need to fix my hair and NOW." With that, she hurriedly leaves the drawing room, leaving me standing there, feeling foolish and not a little frightened.

Exhaling sharply, I try and repair my toilette, winding a red silk ribbon through my ringlets before pulling on my red velvet spencer lined with white fur and donning my bonnet. As I tie the bonnet strings together in a big bow under my chin, the face looking back at me in the mirror hardly looks like a girl excited to go on a sleigh-ride with Sidney Parker. Drawing on my leather gloves, I hesitate before slipping out of the house, surprised to see Sidney there, leaning against the railings.

Sidney instantly straightens up at the sight of me. "Good evening," he says, sounding surprisingly awkward.

"Good evening," I say equally as awkwardly, feeling the colour rush to my face again. "It's… it's a lovely night."

"Indeed."

"I… I hope I'm not importuning you," I say stupidly, making Sidney glance sharply at me, brow furrowing.

"If anyone is being importunate, it is I," he says sternly, "in issuing such an invitation at such short notice."

I just nod, only to wish I hadn't, as it looks like I am agreeing he was indeed being importunate. "A sleigh ride is infinitely preferable to spending another evening perusing Plato," I say hastily, desperately trying to regain ground.

"Plato?"

"Yes, Plato."

"As opposed to Socrates or Livy?"

My eyebrows draw together at the teasing undertone to his words, contradicting his serious face, confusing me.

"You know, I often observe you and Miss. King looking out at the square," Sidney suddenly says as he gestures to the drawing room window behind me. "I always wonder what the two of you find so engrossing."

At this, I wish the snow-covered cobbles would open up and devour me whole. It was Sidney the pair of us found so engrossing, me most of all. The bad weather had confined us largely to the house, fuelling our mutual obsession with Sidney Parker, the pair of us noting his comings and goings with almost academic fervour. One memorable morning, he had tipped his top hat in my direction, and I had almost swooned, Elizabeth almost beside herself with excitement, arguing he had been acknowledging her and not me.

"If it's not too bold, would you deign to sit beside me in the sleigh?" Sidney asks abruptly, ruining my reverie. "It's… it's not often I find myself in convivial company."

I freeze, momentarily stunned. "Of – of course," I say, recovering myself. "I… I would like that. Very much so."

"So would I," Sidney says with a sudden grin, making his face lose its forbidding aspect, and to my surprise, I find myself returning his grin with a smile of my own.